Class/build suggestion for new character

[Verble]

So I'll be making a character to join a party consisting of a lore bard, an open hand monk, and a Psi Warrior(UA version). I was previously playing an arcana cleric but I got reckless and died.

The point buy is very generous, and I'm considering a celestial warlock, an aberrant mind sorcerer, or some kind of wizard. I'm not necessarily averse to dipping another class for better armor or shield, and have been eyeing Human so i can take medium armored, the healer feat, or Inspiring leader for those sweet temp hit points. If I got celestial warlock I'll likely go tome so I can be the groups ritual caster.

Any insights or suggestions for a build? I didn't want to step on the toes of the bard too much but he seems agreeable to whatever I want to play.

[Aett_Thorn]

So I'll be making a character to join a party consisting of a lore bard, an open hand monk, and a Psi Warrior(UA version). I was previously playing an arcana cleric but I got reckless and died.

The point buy is very generous, and I'm considering a celestial warlock, an aberrant mind sorcerer, or some kind of wizard. I'm not necessarily averse to dipping another class for better armor or shield, and have been eyeing Human so i can take medium armored, the healer feat, or Inspiring leader for those sweet temp hit points. If I got celestial warlock I'll likely go tome so I can be the groups ritual caster.

Any insights or suggestions for a build? I didn't want to step on the toes of the bard too much but he seems agreeable to whatever I want to play.

If point buy is generous, have you thought about a Mountain Dwarf for the Celestial Warlock? Free medium armor, and free additional weapon proficiencies more a bit more melee power if you want/get in there. With a cantrip like Greenflame Blade or Booming Blade, you’re not a slouch even if you go Tomelock. Take social skills that the Lore Bard doesn’t have, like Deception, and try to pass yourself off as a Cleric when possible.

[Unoriginal]

So I'll be making a character to join a party consisting of a lore bard, an open hand monk, and a Psi Warrior(UA version). I was previously playing an arcana cleric but I got reckless and died.

The point buy is very generous, and I'm considering a celestial warlock, an aberrant mind sorcerer, or some kind of wizard. I'm not necessarily averse to dipping another class for better armor or shield, and have been eyeing Human so i can take medium armored, the healer feat, or Inspiring leader for those sweet temp hit points. If I got celestial warlock I'll likely go tome so I can be the groups ritual caster.

Any insights or suggestions for a build? I didn't want to step on the toes of the bard too much but he seems agreeable to whatever I want to play.

Githyanki Celestial Warlock is pretty good. Let you have decent armor, melee fighting, ranged fighting, magic, healing, and some psi powers, without falling into a "jack of all trades, master of none" issue AND while keeping an unique flavor.

[diplomancer]

I'd say that this party is missing more a blaster than a healer, so I'd probably suggest a wizard over a celestial warlock. I love the Mark of Warding Dwarf for a tanky wizard, Get the Eldritch Adept feat for the Armor of Shadows invocation and have fun. If you can do the Tasha's swapping of weapon proficiencies, get Rapier and one of Whip or Short Sword/Scimitar, instead of Warhammer and Battle Axe. For ranged, your cantrips will be better from level 5, and medium crossbow works perfectly well from levels 1-4. If you do want a shield, you can always get an Artificer level later, but I'm not sure that's best if you have unlimited Mage Armour and at least a +3 Dex.

You also cover a bit the knowledge rolls, which is a weakness in this party; I'd leave the Cha skills to the Lore Bard, the class was made to excel at them.

Is the Fighter dex or str? If dex, you can also buff him with the free Mage Armor from Mark of Warding once you get the Eldritch Adept feat, otherwise buff the Bard.

[Verble]

If point buy is generous, have you thought about a Mountain Dwarf for the Celestial Warlock? Free medium armor, and free additional weapon proficiencies more a bit more melee power if you want/get in there. With a cantrip like Greenflame Blade or Booming Blade, you’re not a slouch even if you go Tomelock. Take social skills that the Lore Bard doesn’t have, like Deception, and try to pass yourself off as a Cleric when possible.

I'm not really looking to do melee as we already have a str based fighter and a monk. I'm not a big fan of Mountain Dwarf as it lacks a shield and is thus only worth a 1 AC bump. I'm also not big on roleplaying deception as another class. My idea for the character is that he's a gambler who made a deal with a celestial and lost, now he's working off his debt and slowly becoming more good than he is naturally.


Githyanki Celestial Warlock is pretty good. Let you have decent armor, melee fighting, ranged fighting, magic, healing, and some psi powers, without falling into a "jack of all trades, master of none" issue AND while keeping an unique flavor.

I'm not a fan of the flavor of the Githyanki. They're also lacking shield proficiency and I'm looking to be more of a ranged character.


I'd say that this party is missing more a blaster than a healer, so I'd probably suggest a wizard over a celestial warlock. I love the Mark of Warding Dwarf for a tanky wizard, Get the Eldritch Adept feat for the Armor of Shadows invocation and have fun. If you can do the Tasha's swapping of weapon proficiencies, get Rapier and one of Whip or Short Sword/Scimitar, instead of Warhammer and Battle Axe. For ranged, your cantrips will be better from level 5, and medium crossbow works perfectly well from levels 1-4. If you do want a shield, you can always get an Artificer level later, but I'm not sure that's best if you have unlimited Mage Armour and at least a +3 Dex.

You also cover a bit the knowledge rolls, which is a weakness in this party; I'd leave the Cha skills to the Lore Bard, the class was made to excel at them.

Is the Fighter dex or str? If dex, you can also buff him with the free Mage Armor from Mark of Warding once you get the Eldritch Adept feat, otherwise buff the Bard.

We're not using the Eberron setting so dragonmarks are out. We're also not using most of Tasha's rules, just the class options. Fighter is strength based. I do take your point about needing a blaster and since I'll be starting at level 5 with a rare magic item and an uncommon one, I've been looking at a few items to help me blast more.
I've been eyeing a rod of the pact keeper(+2 is rare, +1 is uncommon), Winged Boots(uncommon), Broom of flying(uncommon), Cloak of Protection(uncommon), wand of fireball(rare), Wand of paralysis(rare), Wand of Binding(rare).
Any suggestions here?

I am leaning more into the Celestial warlock idea, with a preference for ranged combat. Since I'll be level 5 I'll have 3 invocations and 2 feats(from starting as variant human), so I'm looking at Agonizing blast and repelling blast with Book of Ancient Secrets for rituals. I want Inspiring Leader feat, and it's a toss up between Moderately armored feat(18AC with it and lets me bump up my Int score cause I don't need as high a dex) or the Healer feat to patch everyone up post combat. Since I'm likely going Tome Warlock I'll grab the Guidance cantrip, possibly Thorn Whip too? Any other suggestions for cantrips aside from Eldritch Blast?

[Unoriginal]

Any other suggestions for cantrips aside from Eldritch Blast?

For Celestial Warlock, anything with fire or radiant damage is good.

Tomelocks often go with Shillelagh to have a melee option.

[Verble]

For Celestial Warlock, anything with fire or radiant damage is good.

Tomelocks often go with Shillelagh to have a melee option.

If I take Shillelagh for melee, then I'd want a a melee weapon and probably booming blade. I'm happy with Repelling blast on my eldritch blast and the disengage action if necessary.

For cantrips I'm looking at Light and Sacred Flame from celestial class, Eldritch Blast, Minor Illusion, Plus one more from the warlock list, and then Guidance, Spare the DYing, and Thorn whip for healing and battlefield control.

[5eNeedsDarksun]

So I'll be making a character to join a party consisting of a lore bard, an open hand monk, and a Psi Warrior(UA version). I was previously playing an arcana cleric but I got reckless and died.

The point buy is very generous, and I'm considering a celestial warlock, an aberrant mind sorcerer, or some kind of wizard. I'm not necessarily averse to dipping another class for better armor or shield, and have been eyeing Human so i can take medium armored, the healer feat, or Inspiring leader for those sweet temp hit points. If I got celestial warlock I'll likely go tome so I can be the groups ritual caster.

Any insights or suggestions for a build? I didn't want to step on the toes of the bard too much but he seems agreeable to whatever I want to play.

Inspiring leader is definitely worth it and I think Sorc is a good class to take it on as you are pretty SAD so you really have a 'free' feat if you are vhuman. I played mine with a level of fighter, and besides level 4/1 (which is always going to be a tough one) the dip was well worth it. There are a number of Cha skills, so I'd just say split them up with the bard and you are good to go.